Moments Of Love
by amessoffand0ms
Summary: Series of standalone oneshots of important moments in the life of Zoe and Max. Based a series of prompts from affectionatesuggestion on Tumblr.
1. Chapter 1

Moments of Love- **1** -Family Life

Prompt: concept: family isn't a bad word any more and we raise ours together. you have more love than you know what to do with and it doesn't scare you any more.

"Mama!" Zoe and Max's 3 year old daughter, Isabella, Issy or Bella for short, attempted to wake her sleeping mother up.

Zoe had recently given birth to her second child, ten day old Isaac. He was snuggled into his mum, who had one hand safely on her son's back lest he fall.

"Come on, cheeky. Mummy will be awake soon, I promise." Max said, sweeping his daughter into his arms. "I have some pasta and cheese waiting for you in the kitchen, and I'll put Peppa Pig on for you." Max reassured his daughter.

"Okay." Bella rested her head on her dad's shoulder. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, princess." Max chuckled, giving his daughter a kiss on the cheek.

They entered the kitchen, Bella wriggled out of her father's arms and ran to the table, where a plateful of cheese and pasta was waiting for her.

"Not so fast." Max said, putting Bella's apron on her.

"I forgot." Isabella admitted.

"I noticed." He chuckled, placing a cup of milk on the table for her.

Bella sat up at the table, and began to eat.

Meanwhile, Max heated up a bottle of expressed milk for Isaac.

He grabbed a bib from the countertop, picked up the bottle of milk, and made his way into the living room.

Max set the bib and bottle down on the coffee table, and gently picked his son up.

"Shh, it's alright." He soothed as Isaac began to cry. Max put his bib on him, sat down, and began to feed him, careful not to wake Zoe, who was asleep beside him.

Zoe stirred in her sleep, and opened her eyes to the sight of Max feeding their son.

"Hello." She smiled, sitting up and stretching.

"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you." Max apologised.

"It's okay." Zoe smiled, snuggling up to him. "How's our beautiful baby boy?" She cooed, stroking Isaac's cheek.

"He's just fine." Max beamed. "And you?"

"Tired, but very happy." Zoe smiled. "Where's Bella?"

"She's having something to eat in the kitchen, she's absolutely fine."

"Good good." Zoe smiled, giving Max a kiss on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

It had taken the couple a long time to get to this point in their lives.

Two years after Zoe had left Holby, Max had followed her to America. They had healed, but a terrifying accident just after Zoe had found out that she was pregnant had caused her yet again to leave him-she was convinced that it was for the best.

He'd found her again, eventually, and little Isabella had been born in California. Zoe had grown in confidence, and was finally not scared to be happy anymore. She worked at the local hospital, and a year ago she and Max had started trying for a second child.

To their delight, they had found out that Zoe was pregnant again, with a little boy this time. Isaac had been born a few weeks early, but was thankfully absolutely fine. Unlike his sister, he was born with a head of dark hair, just like Zoe had when she was born.

"Mama!" Bella ran into the living room.

"Hello." Zoe smiled as Bella clambered onto her lap. "How are you?" She asked, kissing her daughter's head.

"I'm okay." Bella replied, snuggling into her mum.

"Good." The elder smiled, holding her daughter close. "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you too Mummy." Bella smiled.

"What about me and Isaac?" Max pouted.

"I love you both very much too." Zoe chuckled, taking Isaac's empty bottle from Max and setting it on the coffee table. "I'll burp him." She offered.

Max handed her a spare muslin and passed Isaac to her.

"Hello sweetheart, come now, don't cry." Zoe soothed as Isaac fussed. "It's okay my darling, you're safe." She continued, rubbing his back. "Now come on, burp for mummy and please don't be sick!"

Max took in the scene with a smile-a few years ago he was unsure that Zoe would even stay by his side, let alone raise a family with him.

Now, they were finally happy together, raising their own family.

A while later...

"We have about two hours before Isaac wakes up again." Zoe said, climbing into bed beside her husband.

"I'll do the next feed, there's some expressed milk in the fridge." Max offered. "You're exhausted."

"I'm okay." Zoe insisted.

"I'm still taking the next feed. You're amazing, Zoe. You carried our two beautiful children, despite everything you've remained strong. I love you, you know." Her husband said, holding her close.

She kissed him. "Thank you, I couldn't have done it without you. I love you too."

With that, the couple fell into a deep, peaceful, sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Moments Of Love-2-Morning Kisses

Prompt: The dawn is sliding into the sky and birdsong drifts through the window on a cool breeze. My fingers are in your hair and you give me a sleepy smile. For this moment, I am completely content and completely happy.

"Zoe...Zo-e..." Max whispered into his wife's ear, kissing her neck gently.

They were on their honeymoon, in the Maldives. Zoe had returned to the ED and over time, she and Max had healed. They had renewed their vows on Holby beach, and then jetted off for a month in the sun.

The bedroom windows were open, it was dawn, the sun rising over the sea.

Max ran his fingers through Zoe's hair, something which she loved. They had arrived at the villa that they were staying at, which had a private beach, and then fallen into bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

Zoe's eyes fluttered open and she lifted her head to look at him, smiling sleepily at him. She always fell asleep with her head on his chest, her arm around his waist-she felt safe there.

"Hi." Max's smile mirrored her own. "I love you."

"I love you too. So much." She whispered, turning over so her back was against him and her head once again finding a home on his chest.

He kissed the top of her head. "How are you?"

"Better, not so tired now." Zoe yawned, gazing out of the window. Birdsong filled her ears, she closed her eyes in contentment.

Max had proposed to her again at Christmas, she remembered the moment exactly. They had been cuddling on the sofa in late afternoon, suddenly Max had got up. Zoe had frowned at him in confusion, but then he had got on one knee, taken a little black box out of his pocket and asked her to marry him again.

She had said yes, and he had smiled and opened the box to reveal a silver engagement ring, complete with a ruby. Max had slipped it onto the third finger on her left hand and kissed her gently.

They had kept their engagement a secret until they returned to work, it came as no surprise to the rest of the staff. They had then married in July.

"Good good." Max smiled, holding her hand.

Together, they watched the sunrise in a peaceful silence.

After a while, Zoe got up. "I'm hungry." She announced, slipping her dressing gown on and making her way into the kitchen.

In the fruit bowl she found a few apples, bananas, and some oranges. She peeled the bananas and oranges, chopped them up and placed them in a bowl she found in one of the cupboard along with some other crockery.

Zoe then opened the back door and made her way onto the beach, walking towards the water's edge.

Max got up a few minutes later, retrieving his own robe and putting it on.

He looked out of the back door to see Zoe, sitting at the water's edge. He smiled and walked towards her. She looked peaceful, truly peaceful.

"Hello." The porter smiled, sitting down next to her. Zoe turned to look at him.

"Hi." She said in response, resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead, wrapping his arm around her waist.

They sat in silence, wrapped up in each other and the scenery before them. This was it, they both knew that their marriage was forever this time- no messing around, no sadness, just love.


	3. Chapter 3

Moments Of Love-3-Mornings

Prompt: concept: I wake up wearing your shirt, it smells like you. I go downstairs and you're making breakfast for us. I get to wrap my arms around the person I love the most.

Zoe awoke late in the morning, and rolled over to look for Max. To her surprise, he wasn't there.

It was a Wednesday morning, rain was pouring down outside. Both Zoe and Max had a week off, starting that day. Work had been busy recently, so Zoe felt that she and her other half were due some time off, so she organised it with Connie.

The consultant was wearing one of Max's T-shirts, she hadn't been able to find a pair of pyjamas for herself so she had pinched one of his. It was red, and smelt of him, which Zoe loved.

Zoe yawned and stretched, smiling at the distant sound of Max humming to himself downstairs. She could smell pancakes cooking.

She got out of bed and searched for her glasses, eventually locating them in her chest of drawers-she had no idea how they got there.

She made her way downstairs and into the kitchen, and smiled at the sight of Max, already dressed, stood at the cooker, making them pancakes.

Zoe surprised him by sliding her arms around his waist and resting her head on his back.

"Good morning." Max chuckled. "You're finally awake then?" He asked, turning in her arms and gazing down at her.

"I was tired. You tired me out last night, Mr Walker." She pouted.

Max kissed her pout. "Yes dear. You look cute in my shirt, by the way." He said, turning away from her to see to the pancakes. "This one's nearly ready, if you'd like it?"

"Yes please." Said Zoe, searching the kitchen cupboards of their new house for a plate.

They'd moved away from their flat when they started trying for a baby, Zoe insisted that their child would grow up in a "big house with a garden."

Despite her infertility issues, Zoe had a feeling that things would be different this time-and she was right.

Last night, at 3 in the morning, she had found out that she was pregnant, roughly 6 weeks along-she was now waiting for the perfect moment to tell her partner.

Zoe set the plate, along with a knife and fork, on the marble countertop to Max's left, and then opened the fridge in search of the new bottle of chocolate sauce-again, she had no idea how or why it had ended up there.

She sat on the sofa towards the end of the room and put the TV on, channel hopping until she found a repeat of Heartbeat, a guilty pleasure of hers. Max often teased her for watching it and called her an old lady (which more often than not he avoided a slap on the arm for) but at the end of the day, he enjoyed it too.

"Hey, who said that I'd bring your breakfast over to you?" Zoe turned to see her husband grinning cheekily at her.

"I did." Zoe said, grinning as Max put some chocolate sauce on her pancake for her and brought it over.

"The things I do for you..." He said with a smile, and handed Zoe's food to her.

"Hmm, it's because you love me." The consultant smiled, and tucked in.

"I do." Max chuckled, giving her a kiss on the forehead. He then returned to the cooker to make his own breakfast.

"Max..." Zoe said when her partner sat down next to her a few minutes later.

"Yeah?" Max asked, setting his plate down and turning to look at her. Zoe set her food down also.

"Well..." She said, a nervous edge to her voice.

"What's up, Zo? It's okay." Her partner reassured her.

"I'm pregnant, roughly six weeks." She blurted out.

"That's amazing!" Max grinned, and kissed her. "How d'you know how far along you are?"

"It said so on the pregnancy test I took last night. Oh Max, I can't believe it." Zoe said, happy tears rolling down her face.

"It's okay, shh." He said, tears in his eyes also. "I love you-both of you."


	4. Chapter 4

Moments- **4** \- Cuddles

Prompt: Concept: we're happy and content laying in your bed, your arm around me with my head on your chest. We're content and quiet, the fairy lights flicker as we drift into a harmonious effortless sleep ending off a ridiculously happy day

Zoe had insisted on putting fairy lights all around Max's room at the student house- at first he wasn't keen on the idea, but as he watched the blue, orange, and green lights flicker on the ceiling he understood why his partner loved having them up.

They had spent all day cuddling and watching films. Even though they had the flat, Zoe and Max still occasionally spent a day at the student house. Jez and Robyn were out, so they had the place to themselves.

Zoe's head was resting on Max's chest, his arm was wrapped protectively around her.

The consultant closed her eyes contentedly. "I love you." She informed Max.

"I love you too." Max replied, kissing the top of her head.

Zoe was content, more content than she had been in a while. There, laying in Max's arms, listening to the love ballads that were playing that reminded her of herself and Max, was her happy place.

The song that was currently playing was "All Of Me" by John Legend. Max whispered along to the lyrics, Zoe smiled at this and kissed him.

It was late at night, they'd got dressed for bed a while ago. Max was in his boxers and Zoe was dressed in one of his shirts.

Zoe closed her eyes and listened to Max's heart beating, the heart that belonged to her. She cuddled into Max just a little bit tighter, closer, and drifted off to sleep.

Max dropped off also, both of them happy and content.


End file.
